Category Archives: American Wild Ale

Mark Naski has returned from the wilds of Idaho, via Utah, and has brought a plethora of brews from established and new breweries for us to taste and review. In this episode, we will focus on 4 beers that are fruit-based sours. We recorded this show last weekend and enjoyed delightful 80 degree weather, outside on a friend’s deck. Mark spent time doing what he likes best – cooking on the BBQ and tasting beers – and The Brit was happy to join in. Together with friends of the show Deb, our hostess, The Brit’s other half, the lovely Kimberlee, and tavern owner John Karwoski, we find that fruited sours are a delightful match for late Fall sunshine and good food.

Sour and Fruited Lineup

De Achste Hond

Aura Cherry and Nectarine

Uinta Birthday Suit

Thank you -shrink wrap and not Wax

Barrel aged Peach Creek Sour

We also play in some on-brewery reports from listener Lisa who met up with Mark recently at the Uinta brewery in Salt Lake City. They report on several of the beers available on tap from there, so thanks to them!

This week, The Brit heads up to Itasca to meet his co-host, Chuck Fort, on his home turf at the Church Street Brewing. We have 3 beers to taste that will test the expertise of Chuck, and also joining us is another CSB brewer, Andy Wright to also put his taste buds to the test. What is the test? Without knowing the style, name or brewer, I pour samples of each and see how close the lads get to identifying at least the style and adjuncts.

We also slip in an Instant Brew Review I did with the show’s resident tavern owner, John Karwoski, this time with a beer from North Carolina.

And finally, stay listening at the very end for a Dr.Who trivia question posed by Chuck. Send in your answers to pints@thebritandyankee.com and if we any, we’ll pull out a winner and send them a prized Brit and Yankee t-shirt!

​After a month’s break, the Landlord is back and fully bionic!
The professional recommendation was no alcohol for 4 weeks post-surgery, so tonight will be the first brew since January 23. We have two honored guests in the pub completing our panel of tasters; the always entertaining John Bitterman who is always willing to beg, borrow, and steal to enlarge his Illinois breweriana collection. And a man who always keeps us supplied with new brews, and can be considered a craft brew aficionado, but from sensible consumer perspective, my pal Tom Ryan.
It’s a packed show including real Finnish Sahti, a blind review of Revolution’s League of Heroes limited 12-pack releases, a quick visit out to Cademon Brewery in Genoa, where brewer Andrew Nordman has risen like a phoenix thanks to a successful crowd-funding effort, and a bonus beer review from Blue Blood Brewing in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Mark’s lovely wife Tina returned from a trip home bearing a bottle of Strong Sahti from Finlandia Brewery in ​Sastamala, Finland. Clocking in at a whopping 10% this ‘rough and ready’ traditional beer has been brewed for over a thousand years in one from or another, and gallons of the stuff has been drunk over the years, and now it’s our turn to sample it.

Then we head out to Cademon Brewing, in Genoa IL, for a chat with brewer / owner Andrew Nordman, and hear how he managed a successful crowd-funding campaign to get the brewery re-opened after having to close up on the day of their second anniversary. They’re back now and we hear about his new approach to beer.

Then the panel gets to blind-taste the new variety pack from Revolution Brewing called League of Heroes. This pack focuses on their ‘Hero’ IPA series and showcases the latest offering in this series. It’s a great way to get to know what hop style you prefer, and we test our tasters to provide their opinions and pick their favorite. Nobody is wrong, and it’s all a matter of personal preference.

Finally, and just because it’s been a while since we got together, we end up trying a ‘bonus’ beer. This is from Lincoln, Nebraska’s Blue Blood Brewing, and one of their barrel-aged Outlaw series. This is a ​wine barrel fermented wild ale, bottle conditioned with Brettanomyces, clocking in at 6.5%.